Healthy snacking

A few adjustments can prevent overindulgence while watching the game,

Today is a big game day. Your Atlanta Falcons will host the Seattle Seahawks in an NFC Divisional Playoff game at 4:35 p.m. to determine which team will play for the conference championship and a spot in the Super Bowl.

It’s time to get serious about game-day eats. Football is often a day centered on the TV — and endless snacking.

But a few simple adjustments — such as swapping out processed foods for raw vegetables and sliced fruit, and getting off the couch (even if it’s just during the commercials) — can help curb unnecessary calorie consumption, according to experts.

Keith Kantor, a Norcross nutritionist and author of the book “The Green Box League of Nutritious Justice” (Effective Press, $38.95), recommends fighting the temptation to skip meals before the game. Showing up to a party starving is “only asking for trouble,” he said, and will lead to devouring double the amount of dip and chips you’d normally consume.

And for those drinking alcohol, he suggests sipping a glass of water between alcoholic beverages. Drinking water will keep you hydrated and fill you up — ultimately leading to less eating (and less alcohol consumption).

Joy Goetz, a dietitian at the Atlanta Community Food Bank, said a few modifications can make football-watching staples healthier, including baking — instead of frying — chicken wings and using low-fat Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise for a ranch-style dip. The key to the baked chicken wings, according to Goetz, is baking the chicken on a cooling rack (or baking rack) fitted on the top of a rimmed baking sheet, which elevates the chicken and allows hot air underneath the pieces, making them crispy on all sides.

Another one of her favorite ways to control calories is by rethinking the drink by offering flavor-infused sparkling drinks. (See her recipe for a low-calorie Georgia Peach Mocktail.)

Jennifer Hill Booker, a personal chef in Atlanta and owner of the catering company Your Resident Gourmet, likes to serve food in courses, which can help keep the menu exciting, and bringing out food little by little also ensures food doesn’t sit too long.

One of Booker’s favorite low-fat munchies is homemade popcorn dishes. By adding some spices such as cayenne or brown sugar for sweetness, popcorn can be an enticing and high-fiber, vitamin-rich alternative to chips. (One of her stovetop recipes calls for up to 1/4 cup of oil and 1/2 to 2/3 cup of popcorn kernels; once popcorn is popped, add 1-2 teaspoons of fresh, cracked black pepper, 1/3 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese and sea salt to taste.)

Kristen Smith, a registered dietitian in Atlanta, said one of the best ways to keep noshing in check is through portion control. She suggests using small and single-size serving dishes, such as mini cups for dips and coffee mugs for chili, along with minisize cans of soda.

Watching what you eat, she added, does not mean skimping on dessert.

Smith, founder of and contributor to the blog www.360FamilyNutrition.org, said her favorite game-day treats include mini brownies cut in the shape of little footballs, and sliced strawberries with a sweet topping that mixes equal amounts of Greek yogurt and whipped topping.